Volleyball Takes Down Kent State for 20th Win of Season

Friday, November 9

Kent, Ohio

6:00 p.m. ET

Miami University

20-7, 12-3MAC

Kent State

13-16, 6-9MAC

Miami

Kent State

Volleyball Takes Down Kent State for 20th Win of Season

11/9/2018 10:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Kent State Box (PDF)

KENT, Ohio – The Miami University volleyball team got back on the winning track with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18) victory over Kent State on Friday. The RedHawks improve to 20-7 overall and 12-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Golden Flashes fall to 13-16 overall and 6-9 in the MAC. It is the fifth consecutive 20-win season for Miami, which ties the 1978-1982 stretch for longest in team history.

Senior middle hitter Courtney Simons and freshman outside hitter Sophie Riemersma were the stars for the 'Hawks on this night. Simons finished with 14 kills and four blocks (two solo and two assisted). She made only two attack errors in 25 attempts for a stellar attack percentage of .480. Riemersma contributed 11 kills and two solo blocks. She did not have a single attack error in 26 attempts for a .423 attack percentage.

The defense also came up big in the victory. Miami held Kent State to a .068 attack percentage, forcing 33 Golden Flash attack errors. Sophomore libero Abigail Huser led the way with 27 digs.

"As in all our matches, it was a strong team effort to earn this win," said head coach Carolyn Condit. "Haley Stewart stabilized our team with her consistency, Sophie came off the bench and ignited our offense, and our setters and middles connected real well with Louise setting Courtney to a career match. Most valuable was Abigail's defense and court leadership tonight."

Miami fell behind, 6-10, to begin set one. Simons then put down three straight kills off assists from freshman setter Louise Comerford, while Huser followed with a service ace to tie the score at 10. The RedHawks were unable to take the lead as the teams continued to trade points. Finally a Kent State attack error gave Miami its first advantage of the match at 16-15. Tied at 16, seven straight points for the Red and White, including kills by Simons, junior right side hitter Haley Stewart and freshman outside hitter Gaby Harper, and a service ace by Comerford put Miami in control. A final kill from Stewart secured a 25-19 victory.

The RedHawks again fell behind early in set two. Trailing 5-9, kills from Simons and junior middle hitter Margaret Payne were part of a 5-1 run that tied the score. The Golden Flashes responded with a 6-1 run to go in front, 16-11. KSU pushed the lead to six at 20-14 before MU began its comeback. Riemersma had two kills and a block as part of an 8-1 run that gave the RedHawks a 22-21 lead. The teams began trading side outs until it was tied at 23. A kill by Harper, followed by a Golden Flash attack error finished off the 25-23 win.

Trailing 2-5 early in set three, Miami made its comeback much quicker this time, tying the score at six. It remained tight from there as neither team could establish an advantage of more than two points over the middle of the frame. The teams split the next 30 points, 15-15, to see it tied at 21. Kent State then closed on a 4-1 run to take a 25-22 victory and send the match forward.

This time the RedHawks would not fall behind as two kills from Payne and one from Riemersma helped spot them a 6-0 lead to begin set four. The Golden Flashes responded with a 10-3 run to go on top, 10-9. Simons took over, recording a kill and two blocks, while Miami's defense forced several KSU attack errors as part of an 8-0 run that put the Red and White in control at 17-10. Harper had two more kills to help get the lead to as much as 10 points at 22-12. Miami cruised from there as a final Harper kill finished off a 25-18 victory and a 3-1 win in the match.

Payne and Harper each finished with nine kills for the RedHawks. Payne also had a career-high four solo blocks. Comerford led Miami with a career-high 28 assists.

The regular season concludes with the second Battle of the Bricks match of the season as the RedHawks travel to Ohio. The match will begin at 6 p.m. and will air live on ESPN3.